Solar Impulse-founded group boosts clean tech

The Solar Impulse 2 solar-powered aircraft, seen during its circumnavigation of the globe(Credit: Solar Impulse Foundation)

When the Solar Impulse Foundation completed the first solar-powered flight around the world earlier this year, it was more than just a stunt … it was a way of showing how eco-friendly technologies can be put to practical use. Now, Solar Impulse has taken another step in that direction, by announcing its World Alliance for Clean Technologies – a network of "start-ups, companies, institutions and organizations producing, implementing or supporting the use of clean technologies."

The Alliance was officially launched last Friday (Nov. 11) at the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework (COP22) climate change conference in Marrakech, Morocco.

According to Solar Impulse, the new group's main purpose will be "to federate the main actors in the field of clean technologies, in order to create synergies, promote profitable solutions to the world's most pressing environmental and health challenges, and give credible advice to governments."

While such technologies certainly could include those relating to renewable energy, they may also deal with protection of the environment, improving health, increasing energy-efficiency or saving natural resources. That said, the technologies should also create jobs, generate profits and sustain growth.

Along with private donors, the Alliance is funded by partners such as Covestro, Solvay and Nestlé – the latter of which, ironically, has been accused of depleting natural aquifers in order to support its bottled water business.